San Francisco Bans Use Of Facial-Recognition Technology

The city of San Francisco has decided to prohibit the use of facial recognition technology by police and other local government authorities. The ban is part of an anti-surveillance ordinance that the city's Board of Supervisors approved, making it the largest American city to ban facial recognition technology.

The ordinance will come into force next month. It prohibits the use of face recognition by dozens of the city’s departments, including the police. However, the ordinance does exempt federally controlled territories at the San Francisco International Airport and seaport. The ordinance also does not prevent private businesses or city residents from using facial recognition. or any other type of surveillance technology, such as security cameras. It also does not restrict the police's use of photographs and footage obtained from private individuals to assist police investigations.